Fatty acids are long chain carboxyl acids (Carbon number from 4 to 24), which can be saturated, mono or poly-unsaturated.

Animal fats, palm and coconut oils contain a large amount of saturated fatty acids, while sunflower, rapeseed, corn and soybean oil contain a higher amount of unsaturated fatty acids.

From a nutritional point of view the optimal oil or fat contains saturated fatty acids in 30%, monounsaturated fatty acids in 40% and polyunsaturated in 30%. A high percentage of the fat we consume is originated from animal sources, this is why the optimal fatty acid composition can be arranged by the substitution of animal fats with vegetable oils when possible.

In fats and oils fatty acids are bound to glycerol, forming triacyl-glycerols, which amounts to 98-99% of the fats.

Among fatty acids, essential fatty acids play a key role as they cannot be synthesised by the human body but they are indispensable for the normal function. Linoleic acid, linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid belongs to the group of essential fatty acids. In sunflower oil approximately 60% of the fatty acids is linoleic acid.